Drug-Spiked Arthritis Weight Loss Supplements
Cheat Consumers

Place Public Safety and Health at Peril

Many adulterated
arthritis weight loss supplements remain available for purchase even after FDA
warnings are issued, according to a 2018 quality-improvement study. The analyzed
products were promoted as helpful for a variety of physical disorders in
addition to diet purposes. They all
contained drug ingredients with potential to cause serious adverse health
effects.1,2

Researchers discovered nearly 68% of 776 dietary supplements the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) identified as adulterated from 2007 to 2016 continue to contain hidden active pharmaceuticals. Of these, 41% were most often marketed for weight loss and 46% for sexual enhancement.1

Drug ingredients found in the dietary supplements, even after manufacturers were warned, have the potential to cause serious adverse health effects. This could result in accidental misuse, overuse, or interaction with other medications, underlying health conditions, or other pharmaceuticals within the supplement, the authors concluded in the JAMA Network Open journal October 12, 2018.1

When pharmaceuticals were illegally discovered, the FDA rarely used its mandatory recall authority, instead opting for softer warnings, reported a study author, Madhur Kumar, PhD, of the California Department of Public Health in Sacramento “This indicates that these products continue to be sold and are potentially dangerous,” Kumar and co-authors wrote.“This is alarming, especially considering that the FDA is only able to test a portion of products available on the market.”1.

Hundreds of arthritis weight loss brands are adulterated

“The
current study demonstrates that there are hundreds of brands of adulterated
supplements that have not been recalled, but the FDA has only once used their
mandatory recall authority to recall an adulterated supplement,” said Pieter
Cohen, MD, of Harvard Medical School in Boston, the author of an accompanying
commentary to the study. he said.2

“It’s
hard to explain why the agency would dedicate extensive resources to detecting
experimental drugs in supplements, but, after discovering them, not inform the
public or recall the products,” Dr. Cohen said, who added: “To begin remedying
this issue, the FDA should use their mandatory recall authority whenever firms
don’t agree to the voluntary recalls.”2

In
the study, Kumar and colleagues found that among the adulterated supplements,
nearly 80% contained at least one hidden, unapproved ingredient, while 16%
contained at least two ingredients. The
FDA issued warnings for these products, which most often came in the form of a
voluntary recall to be issued by the supplement manufacturer (46.4%) or a
public notification (44.1%).1

However,
in the past 5 years, the researchers said, there was a trend for the FDA to use
“quick, more informal warning types,” opting for more public notifications
rather than voluntary recalls.1

The
most common adulterant was sibutramine for arthritis weight loss supplements. Other common ingredients were phenolphthalein,
or sibutramine analogues, which the FDA removed from the market several years
ago due to cardiovascular risks.

Dr. Cohen also warned that not all ingredients in supplements,
such as for arthritis weight loss, may be listed on the label, and that these
illegally formulated products have the potential to be “as potent as prescription
drugs.” Diet supplements and weight loss plans are often recommended for
arthritis pain relief.

He said it is not uncommon for companies to spike weight-loss
and exercise supplements with amphetamine-like chemicals, then hide them on
their labels under the names of obscure plants to give the impression they are
natural botanical extracts.3

According to Dr. Cohen, many contaminated supplements come from well-known manufacturers based in the United States. He
cited a 2014 study that he and others conducted that found 20 of 27 supplements
were still adulterated with drugs and available for purchase between eight and
52 months after they were voluntarily recalled by the FDA.4

However, Daniel Fabricant, president of an industry trade
group Natural ProductsAssociation, said that diet supplements,
like those for arthritis weight loss, as well as sexual
enhancement and muscle-building products, shouldn’t fall into the same category
as traditional dietary supplements like vitamins. He said the contaminated products found in
the FDA database are “fringe products” made by unscrupulous manufacturers that
are sold online or in convenience stores. He added: “This is someone spiking the
product. They’re saying it’s a
supplement. It’s not a supplement in any
way, shape, or form.”5

FDA: Drug-laced
weight loss products are “an emerging trend”

If you are a consumer interested in arthritis weight loss
supplements, the abundance of hidden pharmaceuticals in these products can be
found on the FDA web page, Tainted Weight
Loss Products, which lists 349 drug-spiked brands.6

Excerpted from the page: “FDA has identified an emerging trend where over-the-counter
products, frequently represented as dietary supplements, contain hidden active
ingredients that could be harmful.
Consumers may unknowingly take products laced with varying quantities of
approved prescription drug ingredients, controlled substances, and untested and
unstudied pharmaceutically active ingredients.”

The following disclaimer also appears on the page: “Remember,
FDA cannot test all products on the market that contain potentially harmful
hidden ingredients. Enforcement actions
and consumer advisories for tainted products only cover a small fraction of the tainted over-the-counter products on the
market.”

FDA: Arthritis weight loss supplement consumers--do your homework

The FDA
publishes a web page, Tips for Dietary
Supplement Users, to encourage consumers to make informed decisions and
evaluate information prior to purchasing a dietary supplement.7

One of the tips to
becoming a savvy consumer is to contact the manufacturer or distributor for
more information about the specific product that you are purchasing.

If you’re not
sure if an arthritis weight loss supplement meets the same standards as those
used in research studies you read about, find a company representative who can
answer questions. Here are four questions
the FDA says to ask:7

What
information does the firm have to substantiate the claims made for the product?
(Be aware that sometimes firms supply so-called “proof” of their claims by
citing undocumented reports from satisfied consumers, or “internal” graphs and
charts that could be mistaken for evidence-based research).

Does
the firm have information to share about tests it has conducted on the safety
or efficacy of the ingredients in the product?

Does
the firm have a quality control system in place to determine if the product contains
what is stated on the label and is free of contaminants?

Has
the firm received any adverse events reports from consumers using their
products.

The FDA
publishes many pages on its website warning consumers that dietary supplements
are not equal in quality. As this
article has framed, Big Brother can’t stop contaminated weight loss products from entering the market. They’re foods,
and compared to pharmaceuticals, regulations to market supplement products are
weak, poorly adhered to, and poorly enforced, to put it mildly.

If you are
seeking the best arthritis weight loss plan, the clinically-proven Shaklee 180 program is
different than anything else you’ve tried before. It’s guaranteed pure, safe,
effective with a “feel better in 30 days
or your money back” promise.

The plan is centered around high protein shakes. Its four-week starter kit includes 20-gram-protein meal replacements and healthy snacks plus a step-by-step guide and online access to support tools, healthy recipes, meal plans, exercise programs, lifestyle information and success stories to help lose the weight safely and learn how to keep it off.10,11

A key component in the product line is the amino acid leucine, clinically-tested to help keep muscle while burning fat and losing inches. The best kind of weight loss is when you lose fat but keep muscle—most conventional diet plans burn fat and muscle, which contributes to the yo yo affect. Researchers in a 2016 study said: “If you’re not getting enough complete protein with all nine essential amino acids, you’re not giving your body the building blocks to build muscle efficiently. If you’re losing weight, you’ll lose even more muscle.”8, 9

With the recommended weight loss diet plan you get leaner and lose inches--at first your clothing size may shrink at a greater rate than your weight—which is what most really want.

All products are supported by research that suggests overweight/obese patients who lose pounds may experience less inflammation. It promotes successful and sustainable weight management by following a moderate calorie diet plan that includes high protein meal replacements, and by performing a basic exercise program that includes resistance and aerobic training.10,11

Recommended clinically-proven arthritis
weight loss program

Here’s what you get in the recommended 180 reverse kit, which provides two meals a day. You eat a sensible third meal on your own. The kit meals are customizable, with a choice of flavors. Increase the shake protein grams by mixing nuts, seeds, nut butters, milk or your favorite vegetables or fruits.

The kit contains everything you need for four weeks in an arthritis weight loss program: :

Three canisters (45 total servings) of delicious keto friendly meal replacement Life Shakespacked with protein to curb hunger and increase energy. Available in Plant and Soy Protein formulas, and stevia free soy protein, choose from several flavors. Each Life Shake contains:

Two boxes (14 total servings) of meal replacement Meal-in-a-Bars, available in three flavors, a great alternative to the Life Energizing Shake with 18-20 grams of protein to keep you feeling full and satisfied. Great for a meal-on-the-run.

One box of ten healthy Snack Bars loaded with protein and fiber, available in four flavors

One box (28 sticks) of Energizing Tea, a safe and natural way to head off the slumps, available in two flavors.

Disclaimer: Health statements on this arthritis weight loss page
have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are
not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Natural Supplements. Glucosamine, boswellia, GLA, Lecithin, Vit-E and the best omega-3 fish oil are among dietary supplements that provide alternative treatment to painkilling drugs for arthritis with minimal side effects. Click here for more information

Health statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration.
This site is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Copyright 2008 Arthritis-Relief-Naturally.com
Shaklee Authorized Distributor